Full result

Close up in 5th, travelling well and headway to track leaders when hung right over 2f out, ridden to lead 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, strongly pressed close home, held on, all out opened 14/1 touched 14/1

Verdict

A thrilling finish to a competitive handicap narrowly went the way of the first time blinkered WANNABE KING who had dropped to just a pound above his last winning mark after a barren campaign in 2010. He was only David Lanigan's fourth runner of the campaign but gave notice that the Newmarket handler's string are clearly well forward. He struggled from higher marks last season after winning three times in 2009 so will need to find some improvement if he's to win again this season. Guest Book was the least fancied of Mark Johnston's pair but had run a series of solid races in handicaps without winning since landing his maiden towards the end of 2009; this performance will not make further success any easier but he hasn't got many miles on the clock and it would be no surprise to see him improve further. The well-backed Julienas deserves credit as the only horse involved in the finish to have raced from off the pace and he was closing all the way to the line as befits a horse who had already won over ten furlongs. He'll clearly be suited by a step back up in trip and shaped as though he'd improve for this reappearance. His rider was at pains to hold his line as jockeys' jostled for position and he denied Treble Jig a run; well supported in the morning, Sir Michael Stoute's runner was easy to back on track and the lightly raced colt can leave the form of this first run in 289 days behind, possibly when stepped back up in trip. He was a shade too keen in the early stages and endured a fairly rough race. Dunn'o was third in last year's renewal from the same mark and sets the benchmark for the form with another solid performance but he has now gone 14 races without winning and won't receive any respite from the handicapper. Directorship is another with a good track record but failed to get involved from off the pace whilst Michael Hills opted to drop Gunner Lindley in behind from his high draw rather than adopt his usual prominent position and this run is best ignored on ground that was faster than ideal. Fremont had been well backed for the Lincoln but failed to land a blow on the favoured stands side at Doncaster and found little here although he did see plenty of daylight. He now has plenty to prove but stablemate Invincible Soul wasn't given too hard a time of things and made a satisfactory reappearance.